Critical Edition
अर्जुन उवाच अत्रैवोदाहरन्तीममितिहासं पुरातनम् तापसैः सह संवादं शक्रस्य भरतर्षभ
M. N. Dutt: Arjuna said The old history of the discourse between certain ascetics and Shakra, is cited in this connection, O foremost of Bharata's race!
केचिद्गृहान्परित्यज्य वनमभ्यगमन्द्विजाः अजातश्मश्रवो मन्दाः कुले जाताः प्रवव्रजुः
M. N. Dutt: Certain little-witted well-born Brahmana youths, without attaining manhood, forsaking their homes, came to the woods for leading a forest life.
धर्मोऽयमिति मन्वाना ब्रह्मचर्ये व्यवस्थिताः त्यक्त्वा गृहान्पितॄंश्चैव तानिन्द्रोऽन्वकृपायत
M. N. Dutt: Considering that to be virtue, those youths possessing sufficient resources desired to live as Brahmacharins, having abandoned their brothers and fathers. It so happened that Indra felt pity for them.
तानाबभाषे भगवान्पक्षी भूत्वा हिरण्मयः सुदुष्करं मनुष्यैश्च यत्कृतं विघसाशिभिः
M. N. Dutt: Assuming the form of a golden bird, Indra addressed them, saying,-What is done by persons who eat the residue of a Sacrifice is the most difficult of acts that men can perform.
पुण्यं च बत कर्मैषां प्रशस्तं चैव जीवितम् संसिद्धास्ते गतिं मुख्यां प्राप्ता धर्मपरायणाः
M. N. Dutt: Such an act is productive of great merit. The lives of such men are worthy of every praise. Having attained the object of life, those virtuous men, obtained the highest end!
ऋषय ऊचुः अहो बतायं शकुनिर्विघसाशान्प्रशंसति अस्मान्नूनमयं शास्ति वयं च विघसाशिनः
M. N. Dutt: Hearing these words, the Rishis said,-Lo, this bird praises those who live upon the remnants of Sacrifices! He mentions this to us, for we live upon such remnants!
शकुनिरुवाच नाहं युष्मान्प्रशंसामि पङ्कदिग्धान्रजस्वलान् उच्छिष्टभोजिनो मन्दानन्ये वै विघसाशिनः
M. N. Dutt: The bird then said The bird then said.-I do not praise you! You are covered with mire and very impure! Living upon offals, you are wicked! Ye you not persons living upon the remnants of Sacrifice!-
ऋषय ऊचुः इदं श्रेयः परमिति वयमेवाभ्युपास्महे शकुने ब्रूहि यच्छ्रेयो भृशं वै श्रद्दधाम ते
M. N. Dutt: The Rishis said We consider this course of life to be highly : blessed! Tell us, O bird, what is for our wellbeing! Your words fill us with great faith!
शकुनिरुवाच यदि मां नाभिशङ्कध्वं विभज्यात्मानमात्मना ततोऽहं वः प्रवक्ष्यामि याथातथ्यं हितं वचः
M. N. Dutt: The bird said If by acting against your better selves, you do not refuse me your faith, then I shall tell you true and beneficial words.
ऋषय ऊचुः शृणुमस्ते वचस्तात पन्थानो विदितास्तव नियोगे चैव धर्मात्मन्स्थातुमिच्छाम शाधि नः
M. N. Dutt: The Rishis said We shall hear words, O sire, for you know the different paths! O you of righteous soul, we desire also to obey your behests. Instruct us now!
शकुनिरुवाच चतुष्पदां गौः प्रवरा लोहानां काञ्चनं वरम् शब्दानां प्रवरो मन्त्रो ब्राह्मणो द्विपदां वरः
M. N. Dutt: among quadrupeds the cow is the foremost. Of metals, goid is the foremost. Of words, Mantras, and of human beings, Brahmanas, are the foremost.
मन्त्रोऽयं जातकर्मादि ब्राह्मणस्य विधीयते जीवतो यो यथाकालं श्मशाननिधनादिति
M. N. Dutt: These Mantras regulate all the rites of a Brahmana's life, beginning with those consequent upon birth and the period after it, and ending with those consequent on death and the obsequial rites.
कर्माणि वैदिकान्यस्य स्वर्ग्यः पन्थास्त्वनुत्तमः अथ सर्वाणि कर्माणि मन्त्रसिद्धानि चक्षते
M. N. Dutt: These Vedic rites constitute his heaven, path, and best of sacrifices, If it were Otherwise, how could the acts of persons seeking of heaven become successful through Mantras?
आम्नायदृढवादीनि तथा सिद्धिरिहेष्यते मासार्धमासा ऋतव आदित्यशशितारकम्
M. N. Dutt: He who, in this world, worships his self, knowing it to be a deity of a particular kind, attains to success consistent with a nature of that particular deity. Persons dying in two fortnights go to the Sun, the Moon, or the Stars.
ईहन्ते सर्वभूतानि तदृतं कर्मसङ्गिनाम् सिद्धिक्षेत्रमिदं पुण्यमयमेवाश्रमो महान्
M. N. Dutt: These three kinds of success, dependent upon action, are sought by every creature. The life of a householder is very superior and sacred and is called the field of success.
अथ ये कर्म निन्दन्तो मनुष्याः कापथं गताः मूढानामर्थहीनानां तेषामेनस्तु विद्यते
M. N. Dutt: What path do those men follow that censure action? Foolish and poor as they are they incur sin.
देववंशान्पितृवंशान्ब्रह्मवंशांश्च शाश्वतान् संत्यज्य मूढा वर्तन्ते ततो यान्त्यश्रुतीपथम्
M. N. Dutt: And since those little-witted men live by abandoning the eternal paths of the gods, of the Rishis, and of Brahma, therefore, they attain to paths disapproved of by the Shrutis.
एतद्वोऽस्तु तपो युक्तं ददानीत्यृषिचोदितम् तस्मात्तदध्यवसतस्तपस्वि तप उच्यते
M. N. Dutt: There is a verse in the Maniras which says,-(Ye sacrificer, perform the sacrifice with gifts of costly things. I will give you the happiness represented by sons, animals, and heaven.) To live, therefore, in accordance with the ordinance is said to be the highest form of asceticism. Therefore, you should perform sacrifice and penances in the shape of gifts.
देववंशान्पितृवंशान्ब्रह्मवंशांश्च शाश्वतान् संविभज्य गुरोश्चर्यां तद्वै दुष्करमुच्यते
M. N. Dutt: The proper performance of these eternal duties, viz., the worship of the gods, the study of the Vedas, and the gratification of the Pitris, as also respectful services to the preceptor,-is the austerest of penances.
देवा वै दुष्करं कृत्वा विभूतिं परमां गताः तस्माद्गार्हस्थ्यमुद्वोढुं दुष्करं प्रब्रवीमि वः
M. N. Dutt: By practising such highly difficult penances, the gods have obtained the highest glory and power. I, therefore, ask you to satisfy the heavy duties of a householder.
तपः श्रेष्ठं प्रजानां हि मूलमेतन्न संशयः कुटुम्बविधिनानेन यस्मिन्सर्वं प्रतिष्ठितम्
AI Translation: This austerity is the best for the people, it is the root, there is no doubt. In this way of household life, everything is established.
एतद्विदुस्तपो विप्रा द्वंद्वातीता विमत्सराः तस्माद्वनं मध्यमं च लोकेषु तप उच्यते
AI Translation: Those who know this, the ascetics, the Brahmanas, who have transcended duality and are free from envy, Therefore, the middle forest is said to be asceticism in the worlds.
दुराधर्षं पदं चैव गच्छन्ति विघसाशिनः सायंप्रातर्विभज्यान्नं स्वकुटुम्बे यथाविधि
M. N. Dutt: After duly distributing the food morning and evening among kinsmen, they who eat the residuc attain to the ends that are highly difficult of attainment.
दत्त्वातिथिभ्यो देवेभ्यः पितृभ्यः स्वजनस्य च अवशिष्टानि येऽश्नन्ति तानाहुर्विघसाशिनः
M. N. Dutt: They are called eaters of the residue of feasts who cat after having fed guests and gods and Rishis and kinsmen.
तस्मात्स्वधर्ममास्थाय सुव्रताः सत्यवादिनः लोकस्य गुरवो भूत्वा ते भवन्त्यनुपस्कृताः
M. N. Dutt: Therefore, those persons who observe their own duties, who practise excellent vows and are truthful in speech, are greatly respected in the world, with their own faith greatly strengthened.
त्रिदिवं प्राप्य शक्रस्य स्वर्गलोके विमत्सराः वसन्ति शाश्वतीर्वर्षा जना दुष्करकारिणः
M. N. Dutt: Shorn pride, those achievers of the most difficult feats attain to heaven and live for ever in the regions of Shakra!
ततस्ते तद्वचः श्रुत्वा तस्य धर्मार्थसंहितम् उत्सृज्य नास्तिकगतिं गार्हस्थ्यं धर्ममाश्रिताः
M. N. Dutt: Arjuna continued Hearing these beneficial and righteous words, those ascetics abandoned the religion of Renunciation, saying, There is nothing in it,-and begin to live like householders.
तस्मात्त्वमपि दुर्धर्ष धैर्यमालम्ब्य शाश्वतम् प्रशाधि पृथिवीं कृत्स्नां हतामित्रां नरोत्तम
M. N. Dutt: Therefore, O you, who are conversant with righteousness, availing of that eternal wisdom, rule the wide world, O monarch, that is now shorn of foes."